Game



Sept. 1, 1936. C, E, WOOD f I 2,053,170

GAME

Filed May 15,1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l /6 4o' 57 Z '53 l n I I /5- l 62, -1

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.v .A I \Z7 75 l Z3 Z6 I l Wood ATTORNEY wlTNgss Patented Sept. l, 1936 unirse sTATes earlier4 or-rice GAME l Charles E. Wood, Highland, N.,Y.

Application May 15,

1 Claim.

The invention relates to a game device and more especially to a game board for the playing of the national game of American baseball.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a board of this character, wherein the playing Vsurface thereof is constructed to imitate an outdoor playing field for the playing of the national game of American baseball and wherein the playsof this game can be carried forth or executed as truly imitative of those plays made in the outdoor playing by Yleague teams and under standard rules for so doing, thus lending attractiveness and requiring skill in the playing thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this character, wherein the diamond is associated with an infield and an outfield, these being indicated on the playing surface of the board, movable balls o-r spheres are projected in a novel manner for the execution of plays imitative of the national game of American baseball, thus the players can be grouped in offensive and defensive teams for the scoring of the plays made and the winning team can be awarded a championship prize.

A Yfurther object of the invention is the provision of a game board of this character, which is simple in construction'novel in its makeup, strong, durable, readily portable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

`In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a plan view ofthe game board constructed in accordance with the invention showing the feed medium for projecting a ball or sphere onto the playing surface of the board in position and also a batting medium usable for an execution of a play in operative position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 2,-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 ofzFigure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line ll--fl of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a mutilated sectional view taken on 1935, Serial No. 21,637

the line 5-5 of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the board partly broken away.

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the batting 5` medium.

Figure Slis a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View through the projecting medium;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 9 -9 of Figure 1 looking in the direction l0' of the arrows.

Similar reference' characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several Views in the drawings. y

Referring tothe drawings in detail, the game 15 board comprises a'flat table-like playing bed l0 which is secured in a frame that comprises side and end walls l l and` l2, respectively, they being uniform in height'with relation to eachother. Provided at opposite ends of vthe board and parallel with the end walls `l2 and next thereto are the troughs i3 and lll, respectively, which meet the side walls H. These troughs le' and 14 are sunken with relation to the top playing face of the playing bed le and have their bottoms l5 25 iiush with the lcwermost edges of the side and end walls ll and l2 of the frame.

Upon the playing or upper 'surface of the bed Ill vatthe proper locality is painted or stamped a diamond I6 imitative of' a baseball diamond, 30 the said diamond being stamped, painted or otherwise outlined upon the upper surface of said bed Il) Vand included with its representation is a home plate Il, first base i8, second base I9 and third base'Zll, respectively. At the representation of first, second andthird bases there are gullies 2l which constitute in and'out leads to and from the same while at each base is a ball seat 22 for accommodatingv the stationing of a ball 23 at these respective places. The bases 'are identified by the wordsV First base, Second base and Thirdbase as printed or otherwise impressed upon the playing surface of the bed l0.

The area 24 within Athe diamond I6 constitutes the infield while the area 25 outside of this diamond constitutes the outfield, there being in the infield a pitchers box or stand, this being effected by a ball seat or hole 25 and identied by the words Strike and4 Ball supplemented bythe digits 2 to the right and left sides of the seat or hole 26, these words being printed or otherwise impressed on the playing face of the bed IU.

In theoutield 25 there is provided ball seats or holes 21, these being specially located and are identified by the words Error, Base, 55

Double Out and Home Run." 'Ihose seats or holes 21 identified by the word Base are supplemented by the digits I, 2 and 3 so that when a ball is seated in this series of holes by the supplemental digits it can be determined the count whether it be a one-base hit, two-base hit or a three-base hit, while the seats or holes identified by the words Home Run enable the determining of a hit as a home run on the deposit or seating of a. ball in such hole or holes. The other holes or seats 21 are indicative of the character of play as identified by the words in association therewith.

Beyond the home plate I1 and located as is conventional for a catcher in the playing of the baseball game is a clapper 28 which ishinged at 29 to the end wall I2 next thereto and this clapper is weighted at 30 to hold the same normally inclined in the direction of the home plate and on the striking thereof true by the ball it will be tilted for the sounding of a gong or bell 3l carried by said end wall I2 and thus signalling a strike on a batsman. The ball when striking the clapper 28 true when the latter tilts will become deposited in the trough I3 therebeneath while the weight 30 after dismissal of the ball returns the clapper to normal position as is shown in Figures l, 4 and 5 of the drawings. The object of this clapper also is to prevent swift balls from bouncing back and out.

Disposed at opposite sides of the clapper 28 are vertically arranged inwardly divergent side guards 32 so that a ball projected therebetween will be deflected in the direction of the clapper.

Next to the opposite sides II of the board and close to the trough I3 beneath the clapper are the inwardly curved bumpers and ball retarding members 44 functioning to direct a ball or balls when projected on the playing surface or face of the bed I 0 when irregularly struck or thrown into pockets 33 for the trapping of the ball irregularly batted or projected and the same being indicative of a ball in contradistinction to a strike as accounted against a batsman and pitcher. From these pockets 33 the balls are readily removed.

Located adjacent to the home plate side of the diamond or frame I6 are ball pockets or holes 34, these being identified by the words Take Base so that when a ball is seated therein it is indicative that a batsman has been hit by a projected ball or has a count in his favor of four pitched balls entitllng hlm to take first base in the playing eld.

The other trough I4 has the ball rack 35 for accommodating the spent balls projected onto the playing eld of the game board, the end wall I2 next to this rack 35 being cut away at 36 for convenient access to the rack whereby the balls held therein can be easily removed.

At the outermost end of the outiield 25 is a partition 31 which rises vertically in parallel relation to the end wall I 2 next thereto and this partition is provided with gateways 38 which permit the spent balls to pass through the partition to be deposited within the rack. A ball or balls passing through the gateway 38 in the partition 31 gives a count of an out.

Arranged upon the partition 31 at its top edge is a prop 39 for an adjustable conveyer 40 which is of substantially V-shape in cross section and which is adapted to be passed a ball or balls 23 for the projecting thereof onto the playing face of the bed I0 and this conveyer 40 is a substitute for a pitcher for the ball. The conveyer at the outermost end has arranged therein a sponge 4I with which to moisten the fingers to facilitate the pitching of curves and this conveyer is manually manipulated for sliding movement through the prop 39 or tilting movement to control the projecting of the ball to be played on the playing field of the bed I0 of the board.

The batsmans bat or striking medium comprises a pole or handle l2 having a striking head 43 at one end and such implement is positioned between the home plate I1 and the clapper 28 at the playing surface of the bed I3 in the position as shown in Figure l of the drawings and on the sending of a ball 23 from the conveyer 4I] the holder of such batting medium by skill or otherwise can strike the ball for the sending of the same to be imitative of the batting thereof onto the playing field for scoring purposes.

It should be obvious that by skilled manipulation of the conveyor 40 the ball 23 can be sent onto the playing field of the board imitative of a slow and fast speed ball, curved and inner, outer and drop shoots as effected by a human being serving as a pitcher in the game of baseball. The slanting of the conveyer 40 regulates the speed of travel of the ball onto the playing surface of the bed,

In the use of the game board and similar to the playing of the regular game of baseball the game consists of nine innings. Three outs is an inning.

The team playing outiield lines up to pitch in turn while the other team which is termed the batting team lines up to bat in regular turn, or each player can pitch for an entire inning in turn.

Pitching is accomplished by rolling the ball down the conveyer 40, the object being to get strikes on the batsman by getting the ball over home plate into the strike pocket or gulley. The speed of the ball is controlled by the slant of the conveyer 40 and by practice a pitcher by moistening his iingers on the sponge in the conveyer and snapping the ball to right or left can accomplish tricky curves and many strike outs by changing from slow to fast balls alternately.

If the batsman swings his bat or by the implement 42 attempts to strike the ball, it is considered a strike. If the batsman strikes the ball and it does not roll into a pocket it is a strike. If the batsman does not strike at the pitched ball and it goes into the pocket 33 on either side of the center strike pocket it is called a ball. If the ball goes into strike pocket whether hit or not it is a strike. Four balls as counted against the pitcher and in favor of the batsman allow the placing of a ball on first base which is indicative of the batsman making first base. A ball in strike pocket is a strike even though it may sometimes bounce out. When a batsman occupies first base it signifies a single hit, the occupancy of second base signilies a two-base hit and the occupancy of third base signifies a third-base hit. A ball in the pocket 26 is indicative of two strikes when hit there by batter or two balls for batter when placed there by poor pitching. When a ball is on first base and a short stop hit is made it is indicative of a double play, two outs. A ball in an error pocketis a one-base hit. If a ball is on rst base and a ball rolls into error pocket, the ball on rst base moves to second base and the error ball is placed on first base. A home run brings in all balls on the bases and scores a run for each. All balls struck and not going intov the pocket other than the balls on the bases remain on the board only untl the next batsman is up. In event of two balls going into pockets on the same hit the one that goes in first rules or scores, for example: Suppose the ball drops into home run pocket first and another ball drops into third-base hit pocket later, the score would be one run and a third-base hit, whereas if a. thirdbase hit ball went in first the score would be two runs.

A batsman knocking any ball through gateways 38 in the partition 31 or a batsman knocking a ball off the board is scored out. A pitched ball going into a pocket due to poor aim by the pitcher counts for the batsman. A foul ball rolled by a pitcher is a ballV count for a batsman. If a pitcher allows a ball to be pitched before a previously pitched ball comes to a complete stop on the board the batsman goes to first base, the reason for this being so that the batsmans attention is distracted by watching the rolling ball. The batsman holds the striking medium or batting medium fiat onto the board with the handle 42 facing the top when a ball is pitched. I'his batting medium must be at least two inches of! of home plate l1. The person pitching is not allowed to push or throw the ball down the conveyor 40. A disinterested person may act as umpire when the game board is in use for playing the national game of American baseball.

The batsman is out when he has three strikes called on him, even though the last ball pitched might have bounced into a hole representing a hit.

Teams can be organized and games played for championship prizes. A team to win must have a count of four consecutive games in its favor. A lost game in between the four consecutive games concels the series whence the playing must be started over again.

Of course, the foregoing rules and regulations are merely tentative as certain rules and regulations may be compiled by the teams created or formed for the use of the board in the playing of a baseball game.

Intermediate o1' the opposite sides Il of the board and upon the bottom of the trough I3 beneath the clapper is an arched member 45 for deflecting the balls right and left and in this manner avoiding a jam in the strike box of the game board.

At a pair of the corners of the board are the corner guards 46.

What is claimed is:

A game board, comprising a bed which is secured in a diamond andwhich has laterally extending troughs at both of its ends, a prop for an adjustable ball conveyor on the bed adjacent to one of the troughs and whereby balls may be projected over the bed toward the second trough, a weight influenced pivotally supported clapper swingable into said second trough when contacted by a projected ball for delivering such ball into said trough and for striking an alarm, an arched member for directing the ball to either side of the trough, and outwardly diverging guards at the sides of said clapper. y

CHARLES E. WOOD. 

